Faint Heart, Faire Lady
by MorbidMandy
Summary: Alec lets Magnus drag him to a party, where he unwittingly ingests a drink that has a very strong enchantment put on it. It bonds him to a mundane, and neither one of them are very happy. Malec.Yaoi.
1. Chapter 1: Bonded and Arguing

**HI! So this is my new story, it's going to be awesome. Most likely. :D Anywayyy, this has been bouncing around in my head for so, so, so long!**

**A few disclaimers:**

**Alec is not straight in this story, nor will he forget about Magnus. I love Magnus.**

**I'm going to try and make my OC a good one. But if she starts getting too Mary Sue-ish, tell me.**

**ALSO: I don't own it. :(**

I glanced up at the girl sitting across from me. I guess, in a mundane way, she was quite pretty. Long, dark auburn hair. Wide green eyes. Ivory skin. Coral-pink lips.

But I didn't care. I hated her, I hated that she looked at me like I was the angel of salvation. I hated that I knew I looked at her the same way.

I hated that we were both reaching out, fingers intertwined, across the distance between the two of us. I hated that Magnus sat just a few feet away, watching us.

Then why couldn't I pull away?

It was bright. And loud. And noisy.

Very, very noisy.

Those were Alec's only really valid thoughts. The rest were just vague things he noticed about where he was.

Glittery floor, disco balls all over the place. Red, blue, green, pink, orange flashing lights.

Werewolf. Fairy. Vampire. Fairy. Fairy. Warlock. Vampire. Fairy. Magnus. Werewo-

"MAGNUS!"

I rushed towards the sparkling warlock, trying to ignore a pink-haired fairy as she tried to grind against me.

He turned around, his eyes sparkling. For a moment my heart quickened, and then nearly stopped. I loved him. I was reminded of that every time I looked at him.

"Yes, Alec? Ooh, have you had a chance to try one of these _delicious_ drinks?" Magnus says, waving a green and blue drink in front of me.

Instantly all thoughts I had about telling him I want to leave go out of my mind. Magnus has given up so much for me. I can't remember the last time he had a party. Ever since that day in Alicante, nearly three months ago, he's done anything I want to. So tonight I insisted we do something he wanted. Which was go to a party in Brooklyn hosted by a warlock he knows.

He's still waving the drink at me, and I realize that he's most likely drunk.

So I turn and, sure enough, a drink is pressed into my hand. I barely glance at it before throwing it back. What? I'm in love with a warlock, I highly doubt that there's anything that anyone can do that wouldn't be reversible by Magnus.

It was less than a minute before I felt the effects of this highly potent and alcoholic drink. I stumbled across the dance floor, away from Magnus. I needed, _needed_ fresh air.

I bumped into a fey girl with long vines for hair. She pushed back, slamming me into a door.

_Thank the Angel._

I stumbled outside, down the stoop and onto the sidewalk.

I hit someone, and the person gave a shriek of indignation, shoving me away. I fell back, swiveling my head to look fuzzily at the people going by.

I'm on the ground. The thought makes me laugh, a slurred laugh. Heh-heh-heh-heh...

Some girl dropped a coin and bent down to pick it up. Her head came up, her eyes staring into mine.

Everything else fell away.

I was pulled by a previously unknown string towards her. I needed her, I needed to touch her, to feel her skin. I could imagine it. I wanted it, I needed it...

Oh god.

Alec reached towards the girl, a strange, awkward movement. Mainly because he was sitting on a bustling sidewalk in Brooklyn, but...

She was bending down, her eyes latched onto his. Her breath came in short, frenetic bursts. Her hand reached tentatively out, her eyes widening.

"Alec, darling, are you alright?" Magnus asked, coming out of the door, a brief chord of transcendental music pulsing out onto the bright, sun-lit street.

"I-I-" Alec stuttered, shaking his head and squinting up at Magnus.

The taller man reached down and helped him stand, laughing slightly.

"Lightweight. HEY! Lightweight-Lightwood! I am SO calling you Alec Lightweight from now on!" Apparently, Magnus was slightly buzzed as well.

Alec's hand was still reaching for the girl. He glanced towards her. She was still in that awkward, bent-over position. Suddenly her eyes snapped away from his, and she seemed to realize what she was doing. She straightened up, flipping her long reddish-brown hair over her shoulder. Then she glanced back over at Alec, and stopped.

Their eyes bored into each others, baby-blue into emerald green.

"Alec? Alec? Who's this? A friend of yours?" Magnus made a move to shake the girls hand, when the door behind them burst open.

"Oy! Bane, y'wanna tell me why this _friend_ of yours lifted me drink?" The warlock was a big, burly man, with a red face that matched his flaming red hair.

"I-I'm sure that Alec didn't mean to drink your drink!"

"That drink took me TWO MONTHS to brew! It was for that cute fairy with the yellow flowers for hair-Anoula or Analou, or something." the beefy man bellowed.

"Wait-brew?" Magnus said, coming out of his liquor-induced fog.

"Yeah. A bonding spell-real difficult too-" the man slurred his words, and his breath stank of beer and worse, "Took me almost three months to figure it out."

"A bonding spell? Alec-" Magnus turned around, his face a mask of terror as his eyes hit Alec and the random mundane girl. They stood so close they were nearly touching. They stared at each other too, looking confused and (in her case) slightly angry.

"What _kind_ of bonding spell?" asked Magnus, grabbing Alec's arm and facing the large man.

"Um, can't quite remember the name... Grigori! That was it! Most powerful one in the Book of White!" the man said, laughing heartily.

"The Grigori! I've read of it... It's not bonding so much as binding..." Magnus continued speaking, but the words were lost on Alec and the mundane, as they slowly passed out, from the alcohol and the sudden shock to their systems...

Alec opened his eyes, squinting at the setting sun. He realized that he was lying, quite uncomfortably, on Magnus' couch.

He sat up, wincing at his pounding headache.

"Ugh..." he moaned.

"Tell me about it... and I didn't even drink."

His head snapped up, looking around him, and moving almost involuntarily.

He glanced up at the girl sitting across from him. In a mundane way, she was quite pretty. Long, dark auburn hair down to her waist. Wide green eyes. Ivory skin. Coral-pink lips. Her face was a mirror of his own-panic and fear, edged with dislike.

Despite the fact that she was sitting across from him, on another couch, their hands were reached out, fingers intertwined over the coffee table.

"Ahem." Magnus cleared his throat, and Alec's head snapped to look at him.

The girl pulled her hand back, tucking it under her. But her eyes still stared at him, wide and frenzied, frantic.

"Magnus... what... what-" Alec's voice cracked, desperate. His hand still reached towards her, and he pulled it back quickly.

"It's called The Grigori Bonding Spell. It's named after the mythical circle of Angels-the keepers of peace. Only myth, of course-" at this he inserted a wink at Alec, joking that the mundane should not know, but Alec could tell that his heart wasn't in it, "but the gist of it is the same. Once you ingest the enchanted drink, the next person's eyes that you look into, you are bound too."

"The warlock that hosted the party-Warlock Patrick O'Reilly-had apparently been brewing this for two months, which should tell you how powerful it is. As a matter of fact, it is the most powerful bonding enchantment known to anyone."

"It is more binding than bonding. It binds the two people together-their lives exist as one. I've searched and searched, but there's nothing that I can find to counteract it. I... I think you two might be bound for life." Magnus' voice was low and sad.

"WHAT? So you're just giving up? So what am I supposed to do? I don't even know her name, but I'm bound for life? For LIFE?" Alec yelled, standing up and pacing quickly, wincing as his head pounded louder.

"Wait just a second!" yelled the girl, standing up. Alec was momentarily stunned by her voice-he had expected it to pull him in like she did, but instead he heard it normally. It was a completely normal voice, with the tiniest hint of a lilt to it.

"He has been working for _hours_-and I've only been awake for two of them. Do you know how long I was out? TWELVE hours! TWELVE! And you were out for fourteen! And he was working for almost that long! So _don't_ yell at him, because from what I can tell so far, all YOU'VE done to help is sleep and yell!"

For a moment they just stared each other down, Alec struggling with his brain, which was telling him to reach out and touch her.

"Children, children, let's not fight..." Magnus said, standing and raising his hands in a sign of peace.

"I'm hardly a child, Magnus. If I was, you'd be in jail." Alec said, teasing Magnus lightly.

Magnus smiled at him, to show he was forgiven for yelling at him (although Alec figured Magnus would probably bring it up later, in order to get something from him), "Alright, perhaps not, but she certainly is."

Alec turned to look at the girl, who was biting her lip and looking remorseful.

"How old are you, exactly?" he asked the girl.

She blushed and looked at her feet, "I'm NOT a child. I'm fifteen."

"FIFTEEN!" Alec yelled, "I'm bonded to a _little girl_?"

"I am NOT a little girl!" she yelled, putting her hands on her hips.

"For _God's_ sake, STOP fighting! You're scaring poor Chairman Meow!" Magnus said, gesturing to the shivering feline on the couch.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Bane. And I'm sorry to you as well, Chairman Meow." said the girl, sitting beside the cat. She lifted up the cat and snuggled it.

"Please, please!" said Magnus, sitting down again, "Call me Magnus! We'll be seeing a lot of each other! I mean, until I find a way to unbond you from Alec, you two are going to need to be together a lot."

"How... I mean, what... how..." Alec stuttered, but Magnus got his point.

"Every few hours. I'd say the most you should go is twelve hours without contact. Even if you just pass each other on the street and high-five, you need to have some contact."

"Or what?" asked the girl, looking through her long bangs at Magnus.

"Or... I don't know what. But it can't be good."

They sat in silence for a while. The girl cuddled with Chairman Meow, and Alec stared into the distance. Magnus had his head buried in a leather-bound book.

Alec was staring at the girl, who was trying to hide the fact that she was staring at him too.

"Wait a second, I never got your name." asked Alec.

The girl looked up for a second, looking somewhat reluctant. As if she had to be careful around him-if they were to be bonded for life, they could barely keep their names a secret.

"Isadora Scradr." she said, petting Chairman Meow repetitively .

"Scradr? That's... um... unique." Alec said, trying to be polite.

"It's pronounced Sk-ray-dur. It's Norse." Isadora said, smiling up at him.

"Alright then... so, Isadora, do you live in Brooklyn?"

She sighed, and shoved her hair away from her face angrily.

"Enough with the small talk. This is awkward enough already. And it's Dora. I live in Pennsylvania, I'm here on vacation. I'm here with-" she stood up, looking panicked.

"OH CRAP!" she yelled.

"What?" asked Magnus, standing up swiftly.

"I-I was here with my Girl Scouts! They were leaving, like... twelve hours ago! OH MY GOD!" she yelled, now obviously freaking out. She made a grab for something behind the couch-her purse, Alec realized.

It wasn't a girly thing, it was tan with the word 'PEACE' embroidered on the front. She dug through it and pulled out a cell phone.

"They're probably freaking. Oh no, I bet they called my mom! She's going to freak!" Dora moaned, pressing buttons on her phone angrily, "Oh God, it's _dead_!"

"Here, use mine" said Alec, digging in his pocket and passing her his phone. Magnus remained passive, standing there with an odd look on his face.

Dora punched in a quick succession of numbers and held the phone to her ear.

"Mom-MOM! It's Dora, I-what? No, no I'm not-MOM, there's no ransom, I just-no, no one hurt me I just-" Magnus grabbed the phone from her, shut it and then stomped on it so that it broke.

They both just stared at him with incredulous expressions on their faces.

"Magnus." said Alec, "What. The. Hell."

Magnus just rolled his eyes at them, "Her mom thought that she was kidnapped-obviously. And since you two can't go more than 12 hours without contact-and Alec has to stay in New York-you can't go back. So it's better for her to think that you're here against your will than to think that you're just living it up in Brooklyn!"

"That-that makes sense..." said Dora, sitting down shakily, her eyes full of tears.

"Wait, why did you have to break my phone?" asked Alec, still confused.

"Because I'm pretty sure you didn't block the number. All we need is for her to try and get a trace on it." Magnus said, looking over at Dora with pity in his eyes.

Alec sat across from her while Magnus moved to try and console her.

"It's all right... she doesn't think it's your fault..." he soothed.

"Of course not... but what is she going to do? She just got her hip replaced, she's been in and out of the hospital for months... she could barely exist one day without me, how can she go a whole lifetime? I miss her!" Dora sobbed.

"It's not your fault..." Alec said, at a loss for what to say. He loved his parents, but they'd never needed him. They were staid and stoic.

"Of course it's not... it's _yours_." Dora said, her voice suddenly deadly as she stood and glared at him.

"What!" cried Alec, standing as well.

"You had to go and get drunk-"

"I wasn't drunk, I had one drink-"

"Oh, well you seemed pretty damn drunk to me!"

"I didn't ask for this-"

"Well neither did I!" Dora's breath caught on a ragged sob as she eyed Alec, "I was just walking down the street. I just wanted to find a nice bookstore, somewhere to get away from everyone, and you had to come out of that apartment."

For a moment the apartment was silent, the only sound clocks ticking.

"I hate you."

And then she turned and ran, slamming the door behind her.

Magnus made a move to go after her, but Alec sat down.

"Let her go."

"But, Alec, she could-"

"Let. Her. GO." Alec said, looking up in anger at the warlock. It was only then that he truly saw him-for with Dora there the older man had become blurred to him, no longer the object of his thoughts.

Magnus wore a simple brown t-shirt and loose dark blue jeans. His hair was loose and black, and he wore no makeup but the fading traces from the party.

'TWELVE HOURS!' Dora's voice repeated itself in his head.

Alec stood then, and embraced Magnus. They stood there, just clinging to each other, silent tears sliding down both of their faces.

Who knew what would happen to them now.

**Whoo, there it is. I'm so glad to just get this out there.**

**Much love and hugs to everyone that's given me help with this:**

**MaybeThere'sHope**

**DisturbingEmily**

**LookAPenName**

**What.**

**...and everyone else who's helped me along. **

**I STILL need help with this, just with a couple of key things. Thank you all. :D**

**Review please!**


	2. Chapter 2: Need and Wanting

**Alright, so I didn't get **_**quite**_** as many reviews as I'd hoped to, but I'm still **_**blissfully**_** happy with the ones that I got.**

**I'm apologizing right up front about what I'm sure will be slow updates. I'm writing these on my laptop, which doesn't have Word, instead it has 'wordperfect', which FF refuses to upload. So I have to email it to myself, get on my desktop, copy & paste it into a Word document, go through and fix all the annoying little changes, and then publish it. Keep in mind that my wireless internet is heinously slow.**

**AND now for my reviewers:**

**DisturbingEmily: Yeah, Magnus is going to be all depressed-y. And yeah, I'm trying my best to make her not a Mary-Sue.**

**ScaRlett1122: Thanks for reviewing :) I hope you like it!**

**Gigi25: Yeah, I tried writing this with about a billion different names, I couldn't do it without naming her Isadora. I am obsessed with that name. And I'm going to try and make Magnus more... glittery and Magnus-y in the next few chapters.**

**Clary1234: Yeah, Alec's kind of freaked. But it'll get better soon.**

**LookAPenName: Yay, more! :D**

**rednblack-cat: Yeah, I feel totally bad for Alec and Magnus...**

**DISCLAIMER: There is nothing I wish I owned more than Mortal Instruments. Except maybe Magnus, or at least a lot of his glitter ;)**

Alec and Magnus spent several more hours reading and researching. After a few hours, Alec couldn't deny the pull.

"Magnus, I..." he said, setting the book down and taking a deep breath.

"You feel a pull to her? Yes, that's to be expected... I hope she comes back soon, it's getting dangerously close to being ten hours." Magnus said, setting his own book down and leaning back into his armchair.

The two men sat in silence for a while, watching the clock tick slowly.

"It's a good thing I know you don't like women, or I'd be jealous." said Magnus conversationally.

"Jealous? Of her? She's an insufferable, argumentative, _little girl_." Alec sneered.

"But she's very pretty."

Alec snorted and rolled his eyes, "She could be Heidi Klum for all I care."

Magnus' head snapped up, "How do you know who Heidi Klum is?"

Alec smirked at him, "Marathon of Project Runway, remember?"

For a moment it was like none of that had ever happened, and they were just Alec and Magnus, hanging out is his apartment. Flirting.

Magnus grinned at him and set his feet on his coffee table, "Well, why don't you just-" and he crooked his finger at Alec, gesturing him over, "And I'll distract you."

The two of them raced for the bedroom, giggling and shrieking like hormone-fueled teenagers. Which they were, even if one had been a teenager for a lot longer.

Meanwhile, Dora was wandering the streets.

She bit her lip against the encroaching cold-she'd left her jacket in Magnus' apartment. And her purse. Which meant that eventually she would go back. But not just yet.

She hated him, she really did.

Dora sat down on a bench outside of a subway entrance, pulling her legs up and wrapping her arms around them.

For the past few hours she'd let herself be moved with the crowds around the block. Over and over again...

Despite the fact that her eyes were stinging with tears, none slid down her cheeks. She'd cried enough in the past six hours.

_Six hours..._

Considering the fact that she now had no home, no place to go back to, she was holding up rather well.

People swarmed out of the subway terminal. Dora pressed her lips together as her eyes glanced over the people, before landing on a beautiful girl that looked a lot like...

A lot like Alec.

Dora jumped to her feet, pushing through the throng of people after the long-haired girl.

At last she was close enough, so she reached out and grabbed the girls arm.

The long-haired girl whirled around, looking angry and surprised.

"WHAT?" she asked, scowling at Dora. Yep. Definitely looked like Alec.

"Um, are you, um... do you know Alec-"

"Alec? You know-come here!" the girl pulled Dora into an alleyway, out of the swarming crowd.

"Now, what do you-and how do you-know Alec?" asked the girl.

"Well first of all, who the hell are you!" asked Dora, getting her second wind of angry.

"I'm his sister, Isabelle."

That shut Dora up. She shook her head, biting her lip, "Just-just go to Magnus' apartment, do you know where that is?"

"Duh, of course I do." said Isabelle, still glaring at her.

Dora turned and ran, breathing heavily. How could she tell Alec's sister that she was bonded to her brother? That they'd most likely end up seeing a lot of each other simply because she was going to combust if she didn't get to have contact with Alec every few hours. It had been a mistake stopping that girl, trying to talk to her... but their eyes were the same boundless blue color, like the deepest ocean.

Dora made her way to a coffee shop, and entered. It was some sort of Starbucks-style place, with a hobo-looking guy playing guitar and droning on and on about a dying sheep.

The prices listed were ridiculous, but when she scrounged in her pocket she found enough to get a 'tall' 'ebony' coffee. Basically, from what she gleaned from the perky, over-caffeinated Barista, this was a small black coffee. With like twenty five packets of sugar, but basically.

Dora sat in a window-seat, watching as people swarmed by.

She rested her head against the window. When had her life become so confusing? Just one day ago, she was another teenage girl, belting out Taylor Swift on her way to NYC. She and her BFF were talking about how of _course_ they were going to meet male models and become rich and famous... the only part had been that Dora hadn't really cared about the models.

This had been her only chance... to see if she was special. Because if you were going to be special anywhere, it was New York, right? No wonder she'd been so average-anyone would be average in boring old Pennsylvania, home to the Amish and chocolate. Actually, the chocolate was pretty freaking awesome.

But she hadn't wanted to be _this_ special. She just wanted SOMEONE to see something in her, something that said that she wasn't just a normal girl. Something that said that maybe, someday, she could be more.

That's why this had happened. Because she'd left the group, left her friends to seek solace in a bookstore, because when she was there, surrounded by all those books, she felt special. Because she was the only one who could read a 500-page book in one day, and the only one who knew where to find anything in all of the bookstores surrounding her house...

Her tears splashed into her coffee, salting it. Dora took a shaky sip, closing her eyes and relishing the familiar taste.

She could imagine she was in her living room, sipping coffee and typing on her laptop while her mom worked across the room. She could imagine she was on the bus, trying to ignore the freaky people who leered at her. She could imagine she was in the lunch room, smiling as her summer-school kindergarten class swarmed around her.

Anywhere but here.

Alec laid beside Magnus, tracing the contours of his chest, smiling faintly at the glitter. Magnus laid on his back, with Alec on his side, curved into him.

Their eyes met and Alec felt another surge of happiness. Laying here, with the love of his life, he could imagine that nothing had changed. He could imagine that all he had to worry about was where his cell phone was, and what time he had to be back at The Institute.

He leaned up, and their lips met. It still hit him with the same force it had the first time.

Magnus tasted like coffee and sugar, with a smoky taste that reminded Alec of campfires. His lips were soft and pliant, yet insistent as they moved against his. Alec tangled his hands in Magnus' hair, letting out a moan as Magnus sucked his lip into his mouth.

Alec flipped over so that he was straddling Magnus, letting out a small sound of anger when he realized that Magnus had thrown a sheet over them, so they were still separated.

Magnus tugged the sheet out of the way, and they both gasped as their skin made contact. Alec leaned down again and was deepening the kiss with Magnus when a sharp knock on the door made them stop.

"ALEC!" Isabelle's voice was muffled, but still recognizable.

"Damn it..." groaned Alec, rolling off Magnus and reaching for his boxers.

"I hate your sister, you know?" sighed Magnus, pulling on his pants and going to answer the door.

Alec had pulled on his boxers and was just tugging up his pants when Magnus yelled for him to get out there NOW.

Alec ran out, holding his shirt in one hand.

"Alec, do you know-" Isabelle cut off, raising her eyebrows as she looked him up and down.

Alec looked down and blushed. Magnus had gotten a little... uh, overzealous, in his kissing of Alec's body, and he was covered in purple hickeys.

"Damn it, Magnus!" he groaned, turning and storming back to the bedroom. He pulled on a shirt and his sweatshirt and walked back out.

"Okay, now what did you need, Isabelle?"

"Well, first of all, what happened to your phone?"

Alec looked at Magnus, who was pointedly looking in the other direction.

"Um, well..." Alec reached into his pocket and held it out to Isabelle. Magnus' foot had done quite a job on it-it resembled roadkill more than it resembled a phone.

"I'm not going to even ask. Anyway, there was a pack of Ravener demons we needed help with, but I think Jace and Clary took them out. Do you know a girl with red hair who looks kind of strung out? 'Cause she pulled me off of the street, asked me if I knew you, and when I said I was your sister, she ran off."

Alec and Magnus exchanged a look. That sounded like Dora all right. But what was she doing with his sister?

"I... um... Izzy, I need to tell you something..."

Isabelle listened silently to what had happened-Magnus filling in what Alec had been asleep for. At last when they finished, she spoke.

"So basically, you're now father to a whiny little girl? Who you let wander the streets?" she said to Magnus.

"She's not whiny, Alec just doesn't like her. And she's not a little girl, I'm not her father, and... yes, I let her wander the streets." Magnus said, looking guilty.

"She is whiny..." muttered Alec.

"Well, wouldn't you be?" asked Magnus, looking at Alec out of the corner of his eye, "If you were innocently walking down your street when you were basically kidnapped by a warlock and a Shadowhunter?"

"Wait a second... you didn't tell her that you're a warlock?" asked Isabelle.

"Yes. I didn't tell her about you being a Nephilim, though. I just said you were like magic police. I know, I know, you _don't_ do magic, but it seemed to be an easier way to explain it then to say that you hunt demons because you have Angel blood in your veins." Magnus said.

Alec sighed and sat heavily on the couch.

"So, how long has she been gone exactly?" asked Isabelle.

Magnus looked at the clock and winced, "Eleven hours."

Alec glanced at the clock to double-check and sighed, "Well, maybe you're wrong, Magnus. I don't feel anything."

However, unbeknownst to him, Dora was on her way to the apartment. It had hit _her_ all at once, the overwhelming NEED, the need to touch him, to be near him. It took all of her strength to not just fling her coffee aside and run as fast as she could to the warlock's apartment.

Instead, she chugged the rest of her coffee, crumpled the cup and tried to walk down the street calmly. It didn't work so well. She kept on bumping into people, and finally she just ran, straight out.

Alec sat on the couch as Magnus and Isabelle tried to work out a schedule between the two of them. He was thinking about what he was going to do when he got to The Institute, if maybe there would be time to order take out, or if-

He doubled over, letting out a gasp as the shock went through him. He could see Dora as close as if she was right in front of him. Her face was burned into his eyelids.

"Alec!" Isabelle yelled, rushing over to grab her brother's arm.

There was a sudden pounding on the door, and then a strangled cry. Magnus rushed over and threw the door open.

Dora was there, sitting on the ground, quivering and shivering, wet and pathetic looking. Apparently it had been raining.

Alec's head snapped up and he pulled away from Isabelle, running forward and nearly tackling Dora. They clung to each other, even as Alec arched away from her.

"You smell horrible." he said, wrinkling his nose.

"Alec!" Isabelle said, embarrassed at her brother's rudeness.

"I do." said Dora, sniffing, "I fell in a puddle."

At last, Alec was on his way to The Institute. Dora and him had continued shivering on the floor for a minute or two, until at last he was able to stand and walk away from her.

Magnus took it upon himself to play host, showing her where the bathroom was and making clean clothes appear for her. Isabelle had waited outside while he said goodbye to Magnus.

Alec nuzzled Magnus' neck as they embraced, quickly kissing up his jaw and then onto his waiting mouth. It was a quick kiss, barely enough to sate his hunger for everything that was Magnus, but it would have to hold him for a while. Well this and the memories of what they'd done earlier that day.

Alec still didn't know what this meant to him. It wasn't right, it had happened too... too quickly. Much too quickly. He didn't want this, he didn't want... her. But, for now at least, it looked like he was stuck with her.

It was unanimously agreed that Alec couldn't take Dora back to The Institute with him. It would bring up way too many questions, and he wasn't comfortable with anyone else knowing. Magnus offered to let Dora stay with him, although both her and Alec protested. But the fact that she had no money and no where to go was brought up.

So she was going to stay.

Dora let her head hit the bathroom door, squeezing her eyes shut. It had been almost 36 hours since they'd been... whatever the hell it was. Bonded? And in those hours she had cried more than ever before.

So she wouldn't now.

She straightened up, pushing her hair over her shoulder and frowning at her reflection. It wasn't the clothes-Magnus was the quintessential fashionista, and he had gotten her the nicest silk pajamas-ones that somehow were cute, comfortable, and just her style. The tank top fit her like a glove, the pistachio color going with her eyes, and the silk shorts matched it just-so.

But that only made it worse. At home, her pajamas consisted of ratty T-shirts and sweatpants. The fact that everything around her was so _perfect_, the exact way she would've wanted it, made it worse.

She brushed her hair out-at home, she only brushed it when she was leaving the house, but here, somehow, it comforted her. The familiar scrape of the bristles against her head, the feeling of her hair falling down on her shoulders...

At last, however, she couldn't put it off anymore. She opened up the door and shut it gently behind her. Magnus had a spare bedroom that he'd made up for her, somehow knowing everything she wanted the instant she wanted it.

Of course, the bedroom was done perfectly to her tastes, the walls a cool gray, the bedding mossy green. Everything about it was so wonderful that she just had to stand there and stare. There was a desk and even a sleek white laptop on it.

"Do you like it?" Magnus' voice frightened her, and she gasped while turning aorund.

"Oh-oh," she said, her heartbeat speeding and then slowing, "It's wonderful, it really is."

"Are you sure. Would you prefer-" Magnus broke off and waved his hand in the air, and the walls changed to a peaceful blue, then hot pink, and then lime green. At last they returned to their original grey, and Dora smiled at him.

"Where did you get all of this stuff on such short notice?"

"I, um... 'borrowed' most of it." Magnus made air quotes.

"Borrowed?" Dora laughed at Magnus' sheepish expression.

"Don't tell Alec, he has 'morals'." Magnus made a face at the word morals.

Dora sat down on the bed, grinning up at Magnus.

"Are you sure everything is alright?" asked Magnus, suddenly serious.

"The room is great." she swallowed hard, squeezing her eyes shut and forcing a smile on her face, "It's just a little... overwhelming."

Magnus slipped an arm around her shoulders, awkwardly giving her a half-hug. Some of his glitter got on her, and he awkwardly tried to brush it off.

"It's going to be... okay..." Magnus said in a depressingly cheerful voice.

Dora snorted and turned around on the bed to face him, "Let's be honest with ourselves, this sucks. And anyway, I should be asking _you_ if _you're_ okay."

Magnus smiled thinly, "I'm fine. Worried, but fine."

The silence that followed wasn't exactly awkward, but it definitely wasn't comfortable.

"So I guess I'll, uh, let you, uh, get to sleep..." Magnus said, standing up and slowly backing out of the room.

When she was alone, Dora closed her eyes and smiled. Ahh, the familiar feeling of being the awkward one. She always had been the awkward friend-the one just a little too slow, a little too loud. She'd even been voted that in middle school.

She reached over and shut off the bedside lamp, slipping under the covers of the gigantic bed and shutting her eyes. But despite her exhaustion, sleep didn't come.

She wanted to be home. She longed for the too-warm feeling of her blankets, and the too-cold feeling of the air around her. Here it was the perfect temperature, cool enough for her to pull the blankets up, but warm enough for her to not worry about wearing shorts.

Dora pressed her lips together, but finally gave in and let go. As she cried, her tears lulled her to sleep. Her sleep was nearly dreamless, the only picture returning to her head over and over again was Alec.

Staring drunkenly at her from the sidewalk, yelling at her, hugging her even as his eyes showed that he didn't want to be near her. His face, his eyes, staring out at her from a bottomless black abyss.

Down the hallway, Magnus laid on his bed and stared up at his canopy. On any other day, the glow-in-the-dark constellations comforted him, but today they gave him no answers. He needed to snap to it, get back on his game.

He loved Alec more than he had anything in his many lifetimes. But there was a desperate sort of feeling in him that told him to run, get out before he got in any deeper.

Magnus could almost hear the soft sobs of the girl a few doors down. He felt bad for Dora, but he was completely unprepared to deal with a teenage girl. He could barely handle Isabelle and Clary-WAIT A SECOND. Isabelle was almost the same age as Dora. And Clary was too. Maybe...

But Alec would never go for it. For someone who did a job that relied so heavily on working as a team, he was surprisingly resistant to letting anyone else know what had happened.

Which, Magnus supposed, was because it was so ridiculous. I mean, he'd fought demons... but he couldn't handle a single drink.

This small thought of levity caused him to be able to snap himself out of his clothes, into a pair of purple silk pajama bottoms, and under the covers. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to slip into dreamland.

His last thoughts were, as always, about Alec.

Alec had barely nodded to Jace and Clary before racing off to his bedroom. He couldn't lie-physically could not. Especially not considering he hadn't recieved their call about the pocket of Ravener demons. From what Isabelle had told him on the subway ride over, it had been pretty gruesome-almost ten of them, all spitting and rearing back... Jace had, of course, gotten the most, then Isabelle, and Clary had managed to take two down by herself (well, with minimal help at least).

Despite Alec's original dislike of the redhead, she had certainly come into her own as a Shadowhunter.

He slid off his shoes, and changed quickly into a T-shirt and jeans. He laid back on his bed, frowning up at the ceiling. He was suddenly exhausted, struggling not to yawn. But he had to stay awake, in case anything else were to happen.

He couldn't afford to fall... asleep... especially... (yawn)... now...

He rolled over and dropped into a deep sleep, his mind flashing through images: Magnus, Dora, Magnus, Dora, Magnus, Dora, Magnus, Magnus, Magnus...

**Yay, second chapter DOWN AND DONE! WOOOT!**

**Yep :). Anyway, I'm pretty much basing Dora on me. So she really shouldn't be anything near Mary Sue-ish. :) If anything she'll be the anti-Mary Sue.**

**P.S. The very last part, where Alec is dreaming, I was trying to show that his mind was kind of flipping between Magnus and Dora... but it stuck on Magnus, because Alec 3's him.**

**Reviews are my cookies. And I LOVE cookies.**


	3. Chapter 3: Fallen Heroes and Food

**Whew. Let me tell you what, this is a long way coming... Anyway, I'm trying to make Dora both likeable but flawed. Tell me how I'm doing.**

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own it. Trust me. I'm a doctor (like the fifth time I've used this XD)**

Waking up at Magnus' was quite an experience for Dora. At first, for one brilliantly bright moment, she thought she was at home. But, no, she couldn't be. It was too... foreign. Too cool, too perfectly silent. At home the TV would be on-probably some commercial. She felt the familiar hollow feeling in her chest as she sat up.

Alec.

The thought of the name sent a shudder of disgust through her. She couldn't help it... she hated him, with every fiber of her being.

A sudden knock on the door made her suddenly self conscious, pulling the covers up to cover completely.

"Y-Yes?" she called.

Magnus opened the door, greeting her with a loud 'GOOD MORNING!"

Dora stared at him, mouth hanging open. She'd known Magnus was... erm... excentric. After all, he had been wearing a lot of glitter when she met him, but...

He wore pink and baby-blue zebra-striped leather pants, a frilly white shirt and he had glitter around his eyes and pale blue lipstick on.

"G-Good morning..." she said, studying him. Despite his bright and colorful outward appearance, he didn't seem happy. There was something... off in him, she decided.

"Get dressed-we're going to meet Alec in the park, then we can grab breakfast and come back here. You'll have to stay in here for most of the day-clients." he said apologetically, but Dora just shrugged. She was used to staying in one place for a day. Her family wasn't exactly an 'exercise and fresh air' type.

Magnus left, and Dora walked hesitatingly over to the dresser on the side of the room. Would there be clothes in it? It was a little creepy, Dora thought, as she opened the drawers to find shirts-all in her size-folded neatly.

'Magnus must have borrowed them' she thought with a wry smile. One drawer was filled with the exact shirts she'd wanted from the catalogues in her room, the next with shirts that were no doubt from the most popular teen stores, and the bottom ones were a mix of the two. She cracked open one of the top drawers and grinned broadly. Brightly colored socks filled it. It was the one thing that was _perfect_ at home too. She collected strange and funky socks.

She tugged open the other top drawer and blushed. Oh GOD! Had Magnus actually... she blushed as she gazed down at the neat stacks of underwear and bra's. OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD repeated itself in her head as she carefully shut the drawer. He was gay, so he wouldn't be... but still... PRIVACY?

The closet at the side of the room was a little _too_ large to be non-magically enhanced. There was no way that many clothes could fit in there! Dora pulled out a pair of jeans and changed quickly, tugging a gray t-shirt with a peace sign on it over her head. She brushed her hair quickly, making a face into the vanity mirror. Everything about this was so... surreal.

Dora left the-_her_-room and made her way down the hall to the living room. Magnus stood by the large picture-window at the side, and the morning sunlight cast strange shadows on him, causing him to look even odder. Strange beauty, Dora thought absentmindedly, watching him.

A tear caught the sunlight, refracting it a million times over as it slid down his cheek. Dora looked down, ashamed. He was crying, she suspected, because she was taking Alec away.

Even though she had no interest in him-though she would be lying if she said he wasn't gorgeous-she could feel it. She felt like the worst kind of thief.

Dora squeezed her eyes shut, making a silent vow to Magnus that she wouldn't take Alec away-she would rather die of need than cause anyone that kind of pain.

When she was finished, she looked up and cleared her throat, alerting Magnus to her presence. He looked over, smiling faintly.

"Ready to go?" Magnus asked, and Dora nodded.

Magnus didn't blame Dora-or at least that's what he'd told himself all throughout the morning. She'd only been walking down the street. And he felt sorry for her.

When he'd been trying to fix up her room, he'd had to have a reference point. So he 'borrowed' some notebooks from her room at home-he promised himself to return them. One of them had been her diary.

In it she wrote of her life, having friends but still feeling alone. She drew too, pictures of devastatingly beautiful roses and boys with smiles that were sharp. Each page started with a basic outline of her day, and Magnus was surprised to see that many entries were nearly identical. She woke up, ate, read, wrote, ate, and slept. She wrote of the beautiful things she saw in everyday life-a sunset here, a rainbow there.

A little bit more investigating uncovered catalogues with things circled and crossed out... a survey from school asking for basic information-for which Magnus was immediately grateful. He wanted to make her as comfortable as possible-but he didn't think it was possible.

But he'd conjured the best things he could, designer clothes and a shiny Apple Laptop...

And yet here they were, leaving the apartment, and he found himself being slightly snarky to her. Not outright, but enough so that he could see the hurt look on her face.

He wasn't vindictive, but... he felt bad about acting that way, but he couldn't help it. The way Alec had held her so close last night...

The thought brought tears to his eyes, and he tried very hard to keep them in line. The way he had clung desperately to her, the way they had curled together...

He let Dora walk ahead of him on the street as he struggled to think of something else... anything else... But it was hard to, when Dora looked back at him, green eyes confused as he stopped completely, shutting his eyes, trying to tug his thoughts away from the images cycling in his head.

A cool hand on his arm jerked him out of his head. He opened his eyes to see Dora standing beside him, hand on his forearm, looking at him worriedly.

"Are you alright?" she asked, and he made a non-committal sound and hurried her off.

This was not a good morning for Alec. He'd been roughly shaken awake by Isabelle, who told him to get dressed because they were going to meet Dora and Magnus before breakfast. He'd dressed sleepily, and was being towed down the busy streets by Isabelle.

"Where are we meeting them?" he asked, yawning widely.

"By that diner, Maggie's or whatever. Magnus suggested it, cause it's halfway between the two of us. We figured you and Dora can meet there, but since you sleep over at Magnus' and..." Isabelle continued talking, but Alec's thoughts were a million other places.

Maggie's was where Magnus had taken him on one of their first real dates. They'd giggled over hot-fudge sundaes and nearly ran home. But his thoughts were also on Dora.

The thought of her made him kind of mad. He didn't like her-she was argumentative and hated him. But he also couldn't deny the fact that he wanted to see her. Not an emotional want like him and Magnus, but a _physical_ need, like the one for oxygen.

"ALEC!" Isabelle yelled back at him, "Are you even listening?"

He blushed and shrugged.

"As I was saying, since you usually sleep over at Magnus', you two can do... whatever, in the morning, and then you'll leave to demon-slay with us, and then go back at night. Magnus and I worked it out last night." Isabelle said, self-satisfied.

Alec tried to sound enthusiastic, but he just wanted this to be over with. He didn't want to have to have a schedule... he just wanted Dora to go back to... wherever she was from. Pennsylvania? Whatever.

He just wanted some normalcy.

Magnus saw Isabelle pulling Alec and his heart leapt into his throat. As they drew closer, Alec surged in front of Isabelle.

Even though Magnus was expecting it, it was still hard to see that Alec reached for Dora first, pulling her close. They embraced on the street, before finally breaking away.

"Magnus!" Alec said happily, reaching out to kiss him enthusiastically. Some part of Magnus knew Alec was purposefully overdoing it, but he kicked that part and shut it away, losing himself in Alec.

Dora turned away from the embracing couple and smiled at Isabelle.

"Hello." Isabelle said, smiling brightly.

Dora said hi back, but truthfully... well, truthfully, Isabelle was kind of intimidating. Even now, at 5 AM, she looked straight out of Vogue.

The two of them talked vaguely about trivial things, clothes and the weather. They were trying to give Magnus and Alec some privacy as they kissed and talked in hushed tones.

Eventually they had to part-Isabelle got a text from Jace, alerting them to a call they'd gotten a few blocks away. Alec and Magnus gave one last embrace, and Dora and Alec grabbed each other's hands, holding on for a long second, before parting as well.

Magnus and Dora went not to Maggie's but to swanky café a block away, where Magnus ordered something fancy and French, while Dora ordered coffee and a bagel-extra cream cheese.

"So, um... what do you do exactly?" said Dora, staring down into the dark depths of her coffee.

"Well I try and resolve magical problems people have. Give them basic potions, enchantments, etc." Magnus said, taking a leisurely sip of his mimosa.

"That sounds... fun." Dora said, sipping her coffee gingerly.

"Sometimes. But it can get _unbelievably _annoying. My hours are... well, always. It's not exactly fun at 3 AM." he said, smiling at her.

They ate in comfortable companionship. While neither was quite comfortable with the other, they were getting along pretty well. Magnus still harbored a sort of resentment for her, and she was kind of freaked out by him, but they were... alright.

For all involved, the day passed quickly. As did the day after that, and so on and so on for nearly a week.

Over the days, they had settled into a strange sort of routine, and Dora was starting to resent Alec less and less. It was hard to, especially at times like when someone on TV had mentioned some anime show and Alec had burst into tears. Magnus explained to her that his little brother, Max, had died recently, and he had been a fan of that manga.

It had made Alec seem a million times more human. She started tentatively joking with him, teasing him slightly. At first it had been awkward, but they were now... well, maybe not friends, but on good terms at least.

It was a lazy Saturday afternoon, where Magnus and Alec were sprawled on the couch absently watching a chirpy teen show, and Dora was huddled on an armchair, typing incessantly on her laptop.

A news promo flashed over the screen, and a reporter with stiff blonde hair and a beige tweed jacket on barked at the camera.

"Join us after the show for a piece on Isadora Scradr, a small-town girl gone missing in NYC. Hear her mother, brother, father and step-mother speak on her dissapearance."

The promo flashed off, but no one moved.

"I... I guess I expected that. I mean, I _am_ technically missing..." Dora trailed off, twisting a strand of hair between her fingers.

They sat through the rest of the show in stony silence, waiting until the blonde reporter appeared again on screen, standing in front of a tall brick building.

A small, strangled sound escaped Dora's throat, "That's... that's-"

Magnus reached over and pulled on her arm, tugging her over so she was in between him and Alec on the couch.

"I'm here in Cray Hill, Pennsylvania, at the home of Isadora Scradr, a fifteen year old girl who went missing after a Girl Scout trip to NYC."

A picture of Isadora flashed on the screen, she was looking at the camera in surprise, sitting on the floor surrounded by stacks of books.

"I'm here with her family, who have messages for the world."

The camera swiveled to a balding man with an impressive beer gut. He spoke, "I'm Dora's father. I-I was very close to my daughter-"

Dora interrupted, "He's lying. He barely sees me."

"-and I'm a lawyer. I'm willing to pay any amount of money to get my daughter back home where she belongs." he finished, and the camera swivelled to a woman who was crying heavily.

"My mom..." Dora whispered, a tear sliding down her cheek. Alec put his arm around her-for the first time to merely comfort her.

"I-I'm Dora's mom. She's such a smart, resourceful girl. I know that she wouldn't stay away if she wasn't being made to. P-Please, I just want to know she's safe." she broke down crying, and Dora squeezed her eyes shut until the next person spoke.

The woman was average height, with short dark hair and a busy air about her, "I'm Helene, Dora's stepmother. If anyone can give us any information leading to her retrieval, there is a $100,000 reward."

Dora sniffled, "My grandparents. They aren't rich, but they're the only ones with near that amount of money."

Finally the camera turned to a tall man, with a five-o-clock shadow and darting bloodshot green eyes. He looked like Dora.

"I-I'm Dora's brother. She's in trouble, I know it. She-she-she's probably hurt, and the government just doesn't-" the feed switched off and the reporter babbled something about phone numbers, but Dora wasn't listening.

She had stood, and was glaring at the television angrily.

"Dora?" asked Magnus.

"I-I can't _believe _him!" she spat.

"What? Who?" asked Alec, confused.

"HIM! My brother... I can't believe that he'd do that... with me gone, he should be..." she drifted off, still glaring angrily.

"Do what? He looks kind of sick-" Alec was cut off as she swung around.

"Yeah... sick. Right. He's an addict. He was clean for so long, I thought maybe..." she broke off, sighing and sitting down, "I thought maybe he'd kicked it. I just... when I was little, he was my hero. I wanted to believe that he'd get his act together, for mom."

"It's..." Magnus broke off when she grinned at him.

"Crazy? Yep, my whole family is. I think that's why I wanted to get back. I'm the only sane one. My mom... she can't deal with all this. I was supposed to be the uncomplicated one..." she let her head gall back against the back of the couch.

They sat there for a while, watching as the reporters zoomed through various other stories.

Eventually Alec got called away, and Dora retreated to her room, leaving Magnus sprawled on the couch by himself.

He wondered when this had happened... he used to live by himself. He had liked his aloneness. Well, there'd been Chairman Meow, but now he missed the company. He missed Alec... even Dora.

Speaking of Chairmen, where was Meow? He glanced into the hallway just in time to see a tail wave at him before entering Dora's room.

'Furry little traitor!' he thought mutinously, but the doorbell rang, and he dashed off to prepare a potion for a flighty fairy.

Dora heard the door close and gave a sigh of relief, slipping out of her room. It was nearly ten, and Alec would be here soon. She entered the kitchen which, until a few days ago, had gone mostly unused. Magnus had been in a state of shock when she started cooking.

She was in no way a gourmet, but she was a whiz with prepackaged noodles. She'd started making dinner every night-her way of paying Magnus back for letting her stay there.

Tonight she took chicken out of the fridge-it had spent the day marinating in a garlic herb sauce, and she tossed it in a pan while she poured water and milk and tossed some noodles in the microwave to cook. She lost herself in the familiar rhythm of cooking, allowing herself to get caught up.

Magnus ran his hands through his hair, sniffing the air appreciatively. Dora might be kind of a pain sometimes-argumentative, moody, and depressing. But she was aware of her faults, and fought to correct them by being the ultimate caretaker-Magnus had _never_ been so well-fed or well-taken-care-of.

He surveyed himself in the mirror. Not too bad. He'd re-gelled my hair into spikes, and added some kohl and glitter around his eyes.

He heard the telltale jingle of keys, took a deep breath, and walked into the living room just as Dora was reentering the kitchen. They had it worked out so that Dora and Alec would quickly meet before Magnus came out-he'd admitted to Dora he was jealous. Well, he'd told her he was a tiny bit jealous. The truth was that his cattiness was coming out more and more.

Magnus wrapped his arms around Alec and melted into him, nibbling on his lips. He tasted sweet and salty, and Magnus pushed him against the door.

He tangled one hand in Alec's hair, breathing in the scent of him as he ground their bodies together, capturing his lower lip between his teeth, tugging on it and eliciting a moan from Alec. His tongue stealthily crept in and fought for dominance with him.

They finally broke apart when the microwave dinged. Magnus grinned at Alec, brushing his hair away from his face.

"How was your day?" he asked, struggling to control his breathing.

"Much... better... now!" gasped Alec, recovering.

"Dinner in five!" Dora yelled from the kitchen.

Alec sniffed the air, smiling faintly, "So we still have five minutes..."

And they lost themselves in each other again, only breaking away when Dora threw a pillow at them and screamed hysterically that dinner was getting _cold_. For the sake of keeping her happy, they decided to eat and _then_ have dessert.

Alec woke up around two in the morning, slipping out of bed and leaving Magnus alone and snoring softly. He tugged on his boxers, but didn't have time for anything more. He'd barely touched Dora when he'd come home-just grabbed her hand and then Magnus had come in and... they hadn't taken their time. The pull was strong, and he barely had time to shut the door before Dora was beside him, reaching out.

It was strange, he thought, clinging to someone this way. He'd clung to Magnus this way, but... this was different.

They sat on the floor, wrapped in each others arms, breathing heavily as they were sated. Alec pulled back first, looking into her tear-damp green eyes.

"I-I-" he stumbled over the words, but she gave him a shaky smile.

"Don't worry." she said, guessing at his discomfort, "We... we're friends, but I would undo this if I could. I'm attached to you... but not romantically." her words were truthful, Alec could tell.

They carefully untangled themselves and stood there for a long, awkward moment.

"I mean... not that you aren't attractive, just-"

"Not your type?" Alec teased, smiling at her.

"I've... the last guy I liked turned out to be gay. I really don't want to repeat that." she smiled a little back at him.

Alec laughed, and bumped into her, "That must've been fun for you"

She grimaced, "Not as fun as it was for his girlfriend."

Alec laughed loudly now, and she joined him this time, giggling until Magnus opened the door behind them.

"Care to let me in on the joke?" he asked, frowning slightly.

Dora felt immediately guilty. She knew how hard this all was for Magnus, but... Alec was her friend. She barely argued with him. Only like two or five times a day. And she definitely didn't hate him anymore.

"Ah, I was just telling Alec not to worry-I've had my share of crushes on gay men, I don't care to repeat them." Dora gave a guilty-looking smile, nodded at Alec, and dashed down the hall to her bedroom.

Alec grinned up at Magnus and wrapped his arms around the taller man's neck, determined to make him forget all of his worries.

And he did.

Dora laid on her bed, eyes wide, trying to regain that sleepy feeling. But it was gone, and in it's place had come a kind of exhiliration.

Chairman Meow leapt onto her bed, curling up beside her. She absentmindedly trailed her fingers down his side.

She wanted to go for a run, she wanted to feel the wind on her skin. She sighed, closed her eyes, and dreamt of fighting strange, lizard-like creatures, who smelled like sewage and spewed black liquid when she touched them with her crystalline knife...

**O.o oooh, mysterious! Anyway, in the next chapter there's some serious action, and some angst-ish stuff.**

**Teaser for next chapters: Alec and Dora encounter a problem on the street, someone is hurt, and there is a dream-ish sequence. 3**


	4. Chapter 4: Unbridled Idiocy and Hello

**Hi *waves sheepishly*. I made a mistake :( last night I got into the zone and pumped out this really... awesome chapter. Like seriously, I was/am in awe of it. But unfortunately once I had some sleep in me (ie this morning) I realized that it couldn't happen for a few chapters.**

**So yeah :) This chapter may seem a little ((GAPING PLOT HOLE))ish, but I've tried my best. My head is all... mwhigandjadgd. Family stuff :/**

**Ohyeahand the action I promised is not happening here. The aforementioned future chapter will have that. So... pretend you never read that. *erases minds* alrighty then. **

**OH AND HEYYY I'm naming my chapters now. :D**

**Anyway, DISCLAIMER: Don't own it. Wish I did.**

Dora woke up late-it was nearly ten-thirty. She rose from her bed and dressed quickly, tugging on straight-leg jeans and a thin green t-shirt before slipping quietly out of her room.

She wasn't sure if Magnus had any clients over-he was specific that she should stay in her room when they were over-they could be dangerous to her. But her stomach growled, and anyway, Magnus barely had any clientele that came before two.

But before breakfast, Dora headed to the bathroom. When she got inside, however, she heard that it was occupied. By Magnus, she thought, although she couldn't be sure because he was in the shower.

She turned to leave, but before she could she heard a ragged sob. Dora paused for a second, before realizing with a jolt that Magnus was crying.

"Alec..." he murmured, repeating the litany over and over again.

Dora fled the room quietly, running to her bedroom. It didn't take a genius for her to figure out what was wrong with Magnus.

Her.

She had stormed into their lives, leaving destruction in her wake. How could she have been _idiotic _enough to think that things were alright? Of course they weren't. She was a horrible, ugly person for invading like this. She felt dirty and _wrong_-a parasite that had attached itself to the sweetest couple in the world.

She curled up on her bed, a tear sliding down her cheek. It would be painful, but a clean break would be best. Not from Alec-being away from him was too painful to imagine, like losing a limb. But from... this.

She grabbed her purse and shoved a few things into it. She _would_ pay Magnus back, somehow. But for now... she only took a few things-a pair of jeans, two shirts, and socks.

She mentally prepared a speech as she readied herself to leave. Dora stood in front of her bedroom door for a long moment... psyching herself up. 'You can _do_ this. You have to do this.'

At last she left her room, nearly colliding with Magnus, who wore a purple and pink silk kimono and had his hair up in a towel-turban.

"Hey there early riser," Magnus grinned at his own joke, although, if Dora looked close enough, she could still see the traces of sadness lingering in his eyes.

Dora opened her mouth to speak, but swallowed her words and managed a thin smile, "Hi."

He gave her an odd look, but shrugged and said that there was coffee in the kitchen, before sweeping into his room.

She ran to the living room, hurriedly locating a table of paper (pink) and a pen (glittery electric blue) and scrawling a note. Then she took one last look around the apartment, holding back tears as she finally dashed out of the apartment, shutting the door just as Magnus exited his bedroom.

He tilted his head to one side, listening to hear for Dora, and then shrugging. He walked into the living room, but stopped when he saw the paper filled with Dora's trademark messy scrawl.

_Magnus-_

_I have enjoyed getting to know you over the past few weeks. I consider us friends, or at least as close to friends as we can be while I'm an intruder in your life. It is because of this that I have decided to move out. I'll be close enough so that Alec and I can still have our contact, but far enough away that the two of you can live your lives in as much normalcy as possible. I know that you've said that you don't mind having me here, but I can tell... it's better this way, trust me._

_-Dora_

Magnus stood there for a moment, stunned. Had he really been that bad at hiding his emotions? He'd worked so hard to put up a cheerful front, only letting loose in the shower, when he was alone...

Dora opened up the door to the outside, gasping as she was hit by a rush of cold air. At least she'd had the foresight to grab a sweatshirt before she left, but she still shivered in the October air.

She trudged down the street, eyes straight ahead as she tried to plan out her next move. She hadn't gotten much past 'get out of the house' in her plan...

Maybe she'd get a job at that coffee shop, or... somewhere else. I mean, how hard could it be to get a job? Just because she was fifteen, homeless, and supposedly kidnapped.

Dora leaned against a brick building, shutting her eyes as the world rushed by her. What could she do? This had possibly been the most idiotic thing she'd ever done. But she'd been desperate... she never was one for the stupid, self-sacrificing heroines in books, but here she was, emulating one in every way.

But she wasn't really the heroine, was she? She was a complication, the unwitting villainess... the one everyone rooted against, wanted to leave so that the _real_ heroes could ride off into the sunset...

"Dora?"

Dora squeezed her eyes shut, praying it was just a random bystander, before opening them again.

Nope.

It was Isabelle.

"H-hey Isabelle..." Dora murmured.

"What are you doing out here?" asked Isabelle, moving to stand in front of Dora.

"Um, just... taking a walk..." Dora said lamely, trying to hide her overflowing bag of clothes.

"Really? A walk? In October, with no jacket, and a purse of clothes?"

"I, um, forgot my jacket...?"

"Did Magnus kick you out? Did _Alec_? If he did, I'll kick his butt for you."

Dora smiled, "No... I'm... uh... moving."

Isabelle looked at her doubtfully, "Where?"

And so Dora relayed her plan to Isabelle, who kindly tried not to laugh too hard. But Dora agreed to talk it over with Isabelle over lunch, and so they headed to a café, forgetting that Magnus still thought that Dora was out there... lost... wandering the streets.

Magnus was a wreck. He didn't know how he was going to tell Alec that he'd _lost_ Dora. How could he _lose_ a fifteen year old girl?

He should've run after her as soon as she left, but he hadn't because... because some small part of him wondered if it maybe really would be better. If she was gone. If it was just him, Alec, and Chairman Meow again.

Then he'd gone into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and nearly fallen over. Before Dora, his fridge had been a wreck-he tended to shove things in wherever they fit. But on her second day there Dora had cleaned it out, repackaging everything and organizing it.

Normally when someone dared to clean his house, Magnus threw a fit. But he had been... ahem, otherwise engaged, with Alec when she'd started, and since she made it a point to cook almost every meal, he'd barely had any reason to get in there since then.

But it just reminded him of how she'd tried to do everything in her power to make this easier-some days she barely left her room. And how had he thanked her? By being cranky and grumpy and...

Magnus broke off, running a hand through his hair and wincing when he got poked by a glitter spike.

He ran into his bedroom, pulling on a banana-yellow trench coat and high-heeled red boots. He had opened the front door and was ready to head out when he was jumped by Alec.

He opened his mouth to tell him of the bad news, but Alec's mouth was capturing his, biting his lips, grinding his body against Magnus.

Bliss clouded Magnus' brain, shoving out any lingering thought of Dora. He fell backwards onto the couch, Alec pulling off his coat. Magnus wrapped his arms and legs around Alec, exalting in the feeling that was only, purely, Alec.

Alec kissed him deeply, and then pulled back, blinking in a lust-filled haze.

"We should go to the bedroom... we don't want Dora walking in on us."

That was another thing that Magnus didn't like. He couldn't just jump his Shadowhunter anywhere anymore-there was always the risk of being caught. Although admittedly that was more of an Alec problem-Dora made a point to stay in her room whenever Alec and Magnus started getting... amorous.

And with that thought of Dora... Magnus sighed and pushed Alec off of him. He was really starting to dislike her. Even when she wasn't here she interrupted him and Alec.

"About Dora..." he started, awkwardly maneuvering Alec off of him.

"What?"

"Um... I kind of... sort of... lost her..."

"What?"

Dora grinned across the table at Isabelle.

"I told you, I'm a genius!" said Isabelle, smiling brightly.

"You are... I just hope Magnus will forgive me... and maybe not tell Alec."

"I definitely think Magnus will forgive you... but not telling Alec?" Isabelle shrugged.

"Yeah I guess you're right. I mean... I can't believe I was so stupid to just... rush out of there. Major fail by me... I just... I couldn't stand it. Magnus is such a nice-albeit extremely eccentric and sometimes a little scary-guy, and I was making his life hell."

Isabelle gave Dora a small smile, "Yeah well... Magnus and Alec have never had an exactly _normal_ relationship."

Dora smiled at Isabelle and then looked at the clock.

"Oh my gosh, Isabelle, we've been gone for two hours! I have to go back and tell Magnus-"

"Don't worry, I'm coming with you."

Magnus paced back and forth in his apartment. Alec had decided to go and look for Dora, while Magnus was to wait there in case she came back... like for her coat, which she had left.

Magnus shivered just at the thought of going out into the chilly air with only a hoodie. Even Alec had a jacket on...

He heard a door swinging and feet clambering up the stairs, and he sighed... he didn't think he was going to be up to taking any clients while Dora was missing. He felt too guilty.

The person pounded on the door and yelled for him.

"I'm closed!" he yelled, annoyance lacing his voice.

"MAGNUS OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR! It's FREEZING!" he recognized Isabelle's voice and magically unlocked it, preparing to tell her that he had lost Dora.

When Isabelle came stumbling through the door, towing a shivering Dora behind her.

"DORA!" Magnus had never-_ever_-been so happy to see her. And he probably would never be this happy to see her again, but that was another thing.

He rushed forward and hugged her enthusiastically.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack! And Alec wasn't exactly pleased when I told him that I lost you!" Magnus kept hugging her until she made a choking sound. He let her go, and smirked when she stumbled backwards, one side of her face coated in glitter.

Dora reached up and rubbed her throat, "You told Alec?"

"Well I kind of had to... he came home, and you weren't here... and anyway, I was worried! Where have you been!"

"Um, well... with Isabelle."

"You couldn't have called and said that you _weren't_ wandering the streets and getting yourself killed?"

"Well _someone_ insisted that I shouldn't have a cell phone because I didn't have anyone to call that didn't think that I was kidnapped."

Magnus gave a defeated sigh and collapsed onto his sofa.

Another set of footsteps sounded on the stairs, and the door flew open behind Isabelle with a crack.

"Hey Izzy. Magnus, I can't find her anyway, I thought I'd try-" Alec broke off then, finally seeing Dora.

He practically tackled her, doing a strange mix of hugging and hitting.

"Ow!" yelled Dora.

"You are in _so_ much trouble! What were you thinking? Where were you going to go! What were you going to do? You're supposed to be kidnapped!"

Isabelle stifled her laughs and pulled her brother off of Dora.

"I wasn't thinking, okay? I just... overreacted. Sleep-deprivation and cabin-fever does that to a person. But... I won't move out, okay? But I _am_ going to get a job. Isabelle and I worked it out. If I work then not only will I be out of your hair, but I can start paying you rent Magnus. I _know_ you don't need it, but... well all this 'borrowing' is starting to make me feel guilty." Dora smiled at Isabelle, sure that their plan was foolproof.

They sat in silence for a moment, before Alec spoke.

"What name are you going to use? You can't use yours-it's all over the news."

She looked defeated for a moment, before perking up.

"But can't Magnus just... I don't know, 'borrow' something to make it easier? Like he did with the clothes and my laptop and stuff."

Alec turned to Magnus, "_Please_ tell me you paid for all of it."

Magnus blushed, "Well... most of it... and anyway, I think Dora is right. I could quite easily manufacture fake papers... and if she really wants to get a job..."

Alec sighed. Why should he care what Dora did on her own time?

"Fine."

Dora practically beamed, she was so happy. She was finally going to contribute instead of just sitting around all day!

Isabelle left, promising to return tomorrow to help Dora on her job hunt. Dora went to her room to plan her 'job hunting outfit' and Alec and Magnus...

Magnus pulled Alec into the bedroom, shoving him down on the bed. They kissed deeply, Magnus tangling his hands in Alec's hair.

They rolled over so Alec was on top. He pulled off his shirt, breaking the kiss only momentarily. Things were heating up when the doorbell shocked them out of their reverie.

"Ignore it." Magnus gasped, pulling Alec back down.

Dora peeked out of the door. Who was at the door?

She tiptoed into the living room, trying not to disturb Magnus or Alec.

The person behind the door knocked now, yelling "Isabelle?"

She carefully looked through the peephole. There was a guy there, looking down so she couldn't see his face. She turned to leave the room when he opened the door (because Isabelle forgot to lock it!), knocking her down.

"I'm sorry!" yelled the guy, helping her up.

"N-No problem. Isabelle isn't here." Dora said, crossing her arms and trying to look tough. Hard to do when you're 5'3 and 114 lbs.

"Oh... did she say where she went?" asked the guy.

"No... who are you, anyway? Friend of Isabelle's?" she asked, trying to crowd him out of the room. It wasn't working-the guy just looked sheepish and stood his ground.

"Uh... yeah. Who are you, anyway? Friend of Magnus'?"

"Friend of Alec's" the second Dora said it, she regretted it. The guy's eyes narrowed, and he suddenly seemed defensive.

"Alec doesn't have friends. Who are you?" he growled.

"Who are _you_?" she countered.

"I asked you first."

"I don't care."

They stared each other down.

Alec sat up on the bed, upsetting Magnus who was precariously perched over him.

"Did you hear that?" he asked, straining to listen at the door.

"Hear _what_?" growled Magnus, kissing him.

"I... I think Dora opened the door."

Magnus sat back, alert now.

"I swear to GOD, if she's freaking out a client..." Magnus growled.

"What if a client's freaking _her_ out-she's a mundane, what if it's a vampire or a weird-looking fairy!"

Magnus grabbed for his kimono and slipped out the bedroom door, Alec following as soon as he pulled on his boxers.

"Oh," drawled Magnus as Alec stepped out of the bedroom, "It's just the bloodsucker."

Simon scowled at Magnus, "I have a name."

"I am aware." said Magnus haughtily, unhappy at being interrupted.

"He broke down the door. Whoever he is-WHO ARE YOU?" Dora yelled, turning to stare angrily at Simon.

"Simon Lewis." Alec said, coming out of the hallway behind Magnus.

Dora looked over her shoulder at him and instantly turned bright red-he was wearing just his boxers. She was used to Magnus running around in minimal clothing, but Alec was always so... dressed.

"Who are you?" asked Simon, and when she didn't say anything, he addressed Alec, "She said she was a friend of yours, but I knew that couldn't be true because... um... you don't exactly have... many friends."

Alec scowled at him, but admitted it was true.

"This is Isadora Scradr." Magnus said, gesturing to Dora.

"Scradr? That mundane who's missing? _You_ kidnapped her?" Simon asked, baffled.

"_No_." Magnus said, "It... it's a long story."

Simon smiled brightly at them, "I have time."

It was a repeat of what they told Isabelle. Then they told Dora about Simon. She stared at him in awe for most of the night. Finally, just before Simon was going to leave, Dora came out of her shell.

"So how does it feel when you're around religious symbols? Is it uncomfortable or painful? You don't sparkle in the sunlight, do you? Cause that would really suck. What about running water?" Dora babbled, before stopping and giving Simon a guilty look.

"Um... it's uncomfortable unless I touch them-then it's painful. Um... no, I don't sparkle. And running water is fine.." he stared at her like she was a strange alien.

"I'm the _only_ one that sparkles!" proclaimed Magnus proudly, wavy glittery nails in the air.

"Why would Simon sparkle? I mean, I know he doesn't burst into flames, but... _sparkle_?" Alec asked, incredulous.

"It's... a stupid book I read when I was twelve. Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer. The _height_ of romantic literature for thousands of squealing teenage girls."

"And there's vampires in it?" Alec asked.

"It's _all_ about vampires."

"And they... sparkle?"

"In the sun, yes."

"That is the single most idiotic thing I have ever heard."

Dora giggled at the expression on Alec's face.

"Well, it's made hundreds of millions of dollars, so..." Dora shrugged, clearly enjoying Alec's confusion.

"That's it. I am going out _right now_ and buying these books so I can find out why the hell such a stupid idea made so much money." And with that, Alec grabbed his coat and stormed off into the night.

Everyone just stared after him.

"Good thing I didn't tell him about the movies..." mumbled Dora, suppressing a smile.

"You two have ruined my night with Alec." Magnus pouted.

"Well, on the bright side, Alec is fun to watch when he doesn't understand something. And considering there's _four_ books, we should be watching him for a while."

Simon left a few minutes before Alec came home.

When Alec did come home, he sat right down and started Twilight. He got a few chapters in and started making disgusted noises in the back of his throat. By around Chapter Eight, he was fed up. He threw it at the wall and stormed back to his bedroom, where Magnus calmed him.

Alec _would_ eventually finish the books, but that is another chapter...

**I am NOT Twilight bashing. I read Twilight. I loved it. I saw the first movie on opening day and SQUEALED loudly. But meh... I can't see Alec liking it.**

**Was this chapter too Dora-centric? I'm gonna try to make next chapter more MALEC-Y.**

**Review and I'll write extraaaaa Malec in there :)**


	5. Chapter 5: Plotting and Fighting

**I lied. You'll hate me. Just saying. :) **

**I might not be able to update for a few days, like maybe until Saturdayish. I'm going to my sisters house for a few days while she recovers from surgery and my laptop is hard to get internet on, I don't even want to un-hook-ify it from home and put it onto hers. BUT good news is I'm still going to take my laptop along, so I'll be writing like crazy. :)**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing :(**

Alec rolled over, squinting at the bright sun that poured in through Magnus' windows. He stretched lazily, yawning, before starting to sit up.

"Marlahghsha!" mumbled Magnus, rolling over on top of Alec.

Alec squirmed underneath him, but Magnus just clung tighter to him. He let out a defeated sigh, and sank back down into the bed.

It was five, and he usually got up, showered, and was gone by 7 (it took a _long_ time for him to drag himself away from Magnus... especially if they 'conserved water'). But maybe this morning he could be a little late.

He shut his eyes, yawning again. Maybe... maybe...

Dora awoke with a start. She needed Alec. A quick glance at the clock told her it was 6:45-Alec usually didn't leave until 7-maybe she could still catch him!

She leapt out of bed and raced to the front door. Alec was no where to be seen. Wary of waking Magnus, she tiptoed into the kitchen-nope. Bathroom-nope. Finally she cracked open their bedroom door, and covered her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing.

Alec laid in the middle of the bed, head thrown back, snoring slightly. Magnus was beside him, one leg and one arm thrown over him. Alec looked like he was tied up in a Magnus-bow.

As Dora watched, Chairman Meow squeezed in between her legs and leapt onto the bed, where he curled up on top of Magnus' head.

Remembering Magnus' 'Rules of the House' (there were 57, most of which were some form of 'don't touch my glitter'), number 6 was 'Don't let Chairman Meow into my bedroom at night.', Dora darted inside and leaned over their bodies to pull on Chairman Meow.

The skinny cat wriggled out of her grasp and perched on Alec's head.

"Get back here!" Dora whispered, reaching for him again.

But Alec shifted slightly, bumping into Dora and she lost her balance, falling over them and ending with her face on Magnus' chest and her legs sticking straight up in the air.

For a moment all was still.

"What the hell?" cried Alec as Chairman Meow sat down on his face.

"Um... I, uh, fell..." Dora mumbled, unable to sit up and remove her face from Magnus' chest.

"I think we got that... why were you... in here?" Magnus asked, helping her up.

Dora's cheeks blazed bright red, "Um... I was looking for Alec. I-I thought he'd be up by now... and then Chairman Meow came in and sat on Magnus' head, and I just wanted to get him _out_, and then I fell."

Alec yawned, "What time is it, anyway?"

Dora slid off of the bed and picked up the alarm clock from where she'd knocked it down when she fell.

"Seven-thirteen" she said.

Alec leapt out of bed, "I'm LATE!"

He dressed quickly, tugging on jeans and a shirt. He gave Dora's hand a quick squeeze, gave Magnus a lingering kiss, and dashed out of the apartment, leaving the two roommates staring forlornly after him.

"I'm sorry." Dora said, fidgeting.

"Don't worry, it's all fine." Magnus said with a bright smile, but when Dora gave him a look, he remembered her note from the day before. He wasn't fooling as many people as he thought with his happy demeanor.

He sunk a little lower, "I... I guess that the concept of 'boundaries' is being redefined for us all." he said with a trace of bitterness.

"I truly am sorry... I feel like such a parasite, attaching to all of you and just... sucking the life out of you." She said, repeating the words she had said to Isabelle.

"You... you aren't sucking the life out of us. And you aren't a parasite. You're a sweet girl who... made the mistake of looking a drunk guy in the eyes. It wasn't your fault. It was no one's fault."

"Except whoever spiked the drink."

"Enchanted it... yes, I suppose we could blame him."

Dora sat on the edge of the bed, "Who was he, anyway? I know you said he was a warlock like you, but..."

"His name is Patrick O'Reilly... he isn't a high warlock-rather he's one of the lowest ones. But he throws the _best_ parties, really. Almost as good as mine." Magnus gave a real smile.

"So can't he... undo the enchantment?"

"It's not quite that simple... he did it, but it's irreversible from what I've read. It took him two months to brew, and most likely double that to find the ingredients. However," Magnus leapt from bed, grabbing a book from his dresser, "I read this... it says 'To Reverse the Potency of Moste Magick Enchantementes'... it has a list of ingredients to be drunk... 'Three drops of blood from a willing fairy maiden, the hair from the head of a Child of the Moon at the height of the full moon, two cups of water from the bottom of the Seelie Court pond, and four drops of blood dripped off the fang of a Child of the Night, heated from the fire of a child of Lillith'. Child of the Moon is a werewolf, of the Night is a vampire, and child of Lillith is a warlock."

"So why didn't you tell Alec?" asked Dora, looking over his shoulder at the book.

"Well..." Magnus looked guilty, "I'm not exactly supposed to have this book. It's very rare-I was supposed to have returned it to The Institute by now. And anyway, Alec wouldn't be able to drink this-it has to be drunk oppositely. To counteract the enchantment. You would have to drink it, and Alec wouldn't like that."

"Well, then let's not tell him! I mean, how hard can it be to get that stuff?"

Magnus laughed, rich and deep, "_Very_ hard, darling. _Extremely_ hard, to tell you the truth. And anyway, I wouldn't feel right not telling Alec. We'll discuss it tonight, and start as soon as we can."

They parted then, Magnus to the shower and Dora to the kitchen. Magnus had said that he had an early client today, at nine. She grabbed a quick breakfast and went to her room, planning on researching job-hunting strategies until Magnus was done.

Alec bounded up the steps of The Institute, checking his watch and cursing as he saw that it was already almost eight. He was almost an hour late!

He got into the elevator, pressing the button and praying that no one had noticed him being missing yet.

Of course they had.

"ALEC LIGHTWOOD WHERE THE _HELL_ WERE YOU?" his mother shrieked as he exited the elevator. He winced and turned to look at her. No one (except for Isabelle) knew that he spent most nights at Magnus'.

"I just, um, went for a, um, a walk." he trailed off lamely.

"Liar! You-YOU HAVE GLITTER ON YOU!" she yelled, pointing at him.

He looked down and groaned. In his haste to get dressed he had pulled on one of Magnus' shirts. A baby-blue, sparkly shirt with the words 'World's Best Lover' on them in shiny pink letters.

"Um... I..." he couldn't even think up an excuse for this one.

"Were you-did you-you were with Magnus Bane, weren't you?" Maryse accused.

"Yes... well he _is _my boyfriend, mom!"

"But... couldn't you... I don't know, sneak in?"

"Yeah," interjected Isabelle, "That's what you did before. Why are you late today?" she waggled her eyebrows.

"What do you mean before? Alec?"

"Um, mom..." Alec shifted awkwardly.

"Mom, don't freak out. I mean, unless you want Magnus to come here... and having to hear Alec earning that 'World's Best Lover' shirt...?" Isabelle shook her head.

"Isabelle!" Alec interjected, "It's not my shirt, it's Magnus'!"

"And I'm sure he's earned it, right?" Isabelle said lecherously.

Alec just blushed and mumbled, "Well at least I didn't sneak home last Saturday wearing that fairy's shirt."

"ISABELLE!" Maryse yelled.

"Well at least _I_ didn't skip training Monday because I couldn't _walk_." Isabelle grinned at him.

'Touche' Alec thought weakly, before his mom started again.

"ALEC!" his mom yelled, but Alec was running down the hall, going to change his shirt and escape from his mother and his sister's 'helping'.

That night, Magnus and Dora were preparing for their evening of 'Convince Alec to Reverse the Enchantment'. Dora was making a pot roast, and Magnus was taking a perfumed bath (which he said would help him to _seduce_ Alec into agreement, but Dora kind of suspected he just wanted to take a bath).

At last they heard the jingle of keys in the lock. Their plan was in motion.

Magnus walked through the doorway, smiling luxuriously as Alec backed into the apartment.

"Hello, darling." he said, lounging against the wall.

"Hey Magnus," Alec said without turning around, "I accidentally wore one of your shirts home. Jace teased me about being the 'world's best lover' all day."

"Uh-huh," said Magnus, still posed.

"And my mom saw it which was..." Alec gestured with his hands as he took off his coat and turned around.

Magnus looked _delicious_, at least Alec thought so. He wore low-rising black jeans and an open red button-down shirt.

"Wow..." was all Alec could say, before walking over and running his hands over Magnus' chest.

Alec kissed him deeply, grabbing onto him. He twisted one hand in Magnus' hair, pulling roughly on it. Magnus groaned into Alec's mouth, their tongues tangling.

Alec pushed Magnus up against the wall, grinding their lower bodies together.

'Oh wow,' Magnus thought, 'It's so... _hot_, when Alec takes control like this. Too bad it's going to end in 5, 4, 3, 2...'

"OH! I'm so sorry!" even though they'd planned this out, Magnus was still annoyed and Dora still blushed brightly.

"No problem, Dora..." Magnus said his lines perfectly, slipping away from Alec. Once the young Shadowhunter could no longer see his face, he winked comically at Dora, who maintained a straight face.

"Uh, dinner is ready..." she trailed off, looking forlorn.

Alec smiled and made encouraging comments about how good it smelled as she led him and Magnus into the dining room. She went to get the food, and Magnus slipped out after her, making some excuse about getting drinks.

"You deserve an Oscar." he whispered once they were safely in the kitchen.

She grinned at him, "Thanks. I always wanted to be an actress. You think he's buying it?"

"Oh, most definitely. I don't even think it's entered his innocent little head that we might be scamming him."

Dinner went according to plan-Magnus had concocted this wonderful story about how Dora had almost walked in on a client, and Dora interjected that she'd needed to use the bathroom, and she couldn't very well stay in her room _all_ day!

Alec looked guilty, and that's when Magnus sprung.

"But I almost forgot the best part of today... I think I found out a way to possibly reverse the enchantment."

Dora gasped, "Really? Why didn't you tell me?"

Alec was surprised too, but his surprise was genuine.

"_Really?_ Do you really think it would work?"

"Yes. There's one small thing..." Magnus had practiced his 'sorrowful' look with Dora for almost an hour, and had it down pat.

"What?"

"Well, there's a lot of rare ingredients-"

Alec nodded.

"-and Dora has to drink it."

Alec's nodding stopped.

"What?"

"It has to be done completely in reversal. You drank it the first time, so... Dora has to drink it now."

"I-I can't let her do that." Alec protested.

"For GOD'S sake, will you stop talking about me like I'm not here?" Dora went off script, much to Magnus' concern, "I'm in this as much as you are. I want to do this."

Alec thought for one long moment.

"Okay."

Dora beamed across the table at Magnus.

"...but I'll get all of the ingredients."

"WHAT! Alec you cannot, I simply will _not_ allow it. You don't even know what the ingredients are!" Magnus protested, grabbing Alec's hand across the table.

"What are they?" asked Alec indignantly.

Magnus recited the list of ingredients, but it didn't seem to phase Alec.

"Okay."

"Alec!" now Dora interceded, "I may not know _anything _about any of this, but it sounds dangerous. Werewolves, vampires..."

"Fairies." said Magnus drily.

"Well Fairies don't sound so dangerous..." Dora started, but trailed off when Magnus and Alec gave her incredulous looks.

"Fairies are probably the worst of it all. They're just... reprehensible." Magnus shuddered, remembering his last fairy client.

"I've made up my mind. I'm doing this." Alec said.

"No!" Magnus exclaimed, "I _refuse_ to let you put yourself in this kind of danger!"

"It's like Dora said, we're in this together."

"Then let me help-" Magnus began.

"No! This is between me and her, not you! Just leave it alone, it's none of your business!" Alec exploded.

"If it's none of my business, then I guess it's none of my business where you sleep tonight!" Magnus yelled, standing.

"Fine." Alec said, storming out of the room.

Magnus turned and walked out the other way, but he hovered once he got past the doorway.

"Dora?" Alec said angrily, coming back in the dining room wearing his coat and holding out his hand.

"No."

Alec looked at her incredulously and, if he had not been eavesdropping, Magnus would have given her the same look.

"What? Come on, I haven't seen you all day, we need some contact." Alec said, exasperated.

"I'd rather toss and turn all night than be near you after you did that. He' just trying to help-"

"It's none of his business!"

"Really? Because _he_ is the one who let me stay here, _he's_ the one who found a reversal... and what have you done? Yelled and thrown a fit. I-I can't believe you, Alec. He loves you, more than I've ever seen someone love another human being. I just... I can't be near you right now." Dora turned and stormed out, passing Magnus.

Magnus stood there for a long moment until the door slammed, alerting them that Alec had left. He turned to go to his bedroom, and nearly had a heart attack (well, not really, cause he's immortal, but still) when he saw Dora standing there.

"I'm sorry Magnus." she said, looking sad and tired and just... defeated.

"Oh it's not your fault..." Magnus slumped against the wall.

"We planned it all _so_ perfectly... we just forgot to take into account how pigheaded Alec is." Dora sighed.

"Yes... adorably pigheaded..."

Acting on a whim, Dora darted forward and hugged Magnus.

For a moment he stood frozen, before tentatively hugging her back.

She pulled back then, and gave him a faint smile.

"Wanna stay up late watching sad movies and eating ice cream?" she asked.

Magnus gave her the best smile he could manage.

"Ahh... I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

**I wanted to write more, but it's almost midnight, I have no internet, and I'm tired. I promise it won't be angsty for long. As a matter of fact, I have some fluff scheduled next time, I promise :)**

**It looks like Dora&Magnus are becoming friends. :D :D**

**ALSO-I won't be doing a lemon. :( I had some questions vis-a-vis that, but I can't write them. My mom banned me. Which sounds like a lame excuse, but while I love Malec more than any other pairing EVER, I still have trouble even writing extremely tame guy-guy. :( so no lemon for now. Maybe some light citrusy kissing, and allusions, but no lemon.**

**Reviews=more fluff.**


	6. Chapter 6: Plans and Meetings

**LONGEST CHAPTER EVER! YAY!**

**I know I didn't update in SO LONG, but I was at my sister's house until Monday (I had no internet there because my laptop is so weird), Tuesday I was lazy, Wednesday was beyond busy, as was yesterday (SHRIMP FTW!). But I have up to Chapter 8 planned out, and so they should all be kinda long.**

**I promise I'll update Chairman Meow soon. I have 14+ songfics to write [anyone want one...hehe...]**

**DISCLAIMER: Own nothing.**

Magnus stood in the doorway of Dora's room, wearing a plain white bathrobe and holding a cracked mug of coffee. He looked so... normal.

It disturbed her to no end.

"Are you _sure_ Magnus? I mean, seriously, I have no problem putting it off or-"

Magnus cut her off, "Dora, darling, you stayed up with me all night. You let me cry all over you and act like I was two instead of two-hundred. The least I can do is clean myself up and be alone while you job-hunt."

Dora stopped in her tracks and gave him a thin smile.

"You are _not_ two-hundred. And I just _don't_ feel good about leaving you alone... how about this, if I get a job, we'll go out to celebrate. Someplace really nice. My treat. Well, your treat, but I'll be able to pay you back when I get paid. And if I don't get a job-"

"You will." Magnus said knowingly.

"_If_ I don't, then we'll go out for consolation food." Dora finished with a grin, "Now, how do I look?"

Magnus looked her up and down. Because she was going to a variety of places, she'd dressed oddly, with an oversized bag to stuff the extra's in. She wore black cords, a graphic tee, a sharp black blazer, high-heels, and masses of necklaces that would hide the tee if she closed the blazer.

"Like an eclectic model." Magnus declared, smiling at her, although it faltered at the end.

Dora's doubts resurfaced. All night they'd watched sad, romantic movies-she hated them, but Magnus blubbered through most of the story, anyway. It was actually a really eclectic mix of movies. Casablanca, Titanic, The Notebook, and others that Magnus had mostly drowned out.

They'd also managed to eat four pints of ice cream. Well, Magnus ate them while Dora nodded and gave him tissues. It had been cathartic for Magnus, and disturbing for Dora. Magnus had finally fallen asleep around four AM, and Dora had collapsed beside him on his bed, too exhausted to think of much more than sleep.

"Why don't you go and get dressed while I finish up here?" Dora said, her voice slightly condescending and very sweet.

Magnus nodded and swept down to his room at the end of the hall.

As soon as she heard the door shut behind Magnus, she was overcome by shudders and shivering. She hadn't had enough contact with Alec last night, and she was feeling the aftereffects. But oddly enough, it wasn't as bad as before. It was more like she'd drunk a bunch of coffee on an empty stomach. She felt jittery and nauseous.

She'd only gotten 4 hours of sleep, but it was good, deep sleep. Magnus' bed was extremely comfortable, even if Magnus _was_ a cuddler...

Dora grabbed her bag and walked out into the living room, stumbling several times on the too-tall heels. Magnus had been a little off his game today with getting her things, but she hadn't commented.

She grabbed the keys Magnus had made for her, as well as her new ID, birth certificate, and all the other stuff potential employers could ask for.

"Alright, Dora, I'm dressed. You can go."

Dora turned around, smiling and ready to make some sort of witty comment, but her words died on her lips Magnus wore a gray t-shirt and faded blue jeans. His face was devoid of glitter, and his hair hung loosely down his shoulders.

He looked defeated.

Sad.

Alone.

Devestated.

Brokenhearted.

She took a quick step to hug him tightly, breathing in the now-familiar smell of curry, cinnamon, and something else.

"Thank you." he said lowly, but his voice was strong and unbroken. He was going to be strong and brave, even if he was unglittered and devastatingly _normal_ looking.

"Call me if you need _anything_, okay? Even if it seems small and insignificant, just... call me okay?" Dora didn't know why she was being so gentle and overprotective with Magnus. She'd always been like this-a caretaker. She mothered everyone, even her mother. And as far as she could see, Magnus needed some mothering.

"I'll be _fine_. Now leave! Go on, go get a glamourous job and leave all us little people behind!" Magnus said, a hint of his usual flair returning.

"I'd hardly call you 'little people'" she said, but smiled and left anyway.

Magnus sunk onto his couch, letting his head rest against the back of the couch. He wanted ice cream and greasy chips. He wanted... he wanted...

"ALEC!" he let out a strangled yell. He hated this, he hated being weak and he hated being out of control. And Alec had yelled and stormed out. And Magnus hadn't been able to do anything about it.

He sank lower into the couch, descending into his misery.

Dora walked quickly down the busy street. She still felt over-caffeinated, and the worry for Magnus only added to her nausea. But she shoved that thought aside as she entered her first choice for jobs, a thrift-shop with an edgy, eclectic feel. It's name was _Remember_, and it looked beyond cool.

She straightened her blazer and walked inside, struggling to appear casual.

"Hi, I'm here about the HELP WANTED sign in the window?" Dora asked of the girl at the counter, who glanced up at Dora and looked her up and down. She smiled and straightened, but it wasn't a nice smile.

The girl stepped out behind the counter, and Dora figured out why.

The counter girl-her name tag pronounced her to be Laurel-was pretty and cool in that antique-ish way. She wore a long pink gown, ripped black fishnets, black combat boots, and multiple bracelets. Her hair was that just-so shredded blonde, and her eyes were outlined in black.

"We here at _Remember_ are looking for someone who embodies the brand that we sell..." Once again Laurel looked her over, "You're a little too prep for us. You might want to try the Gap...?" and with a superior tilt of her head, Laurel spun on her heel and went back to her magazine.

Dora blinked back humiliated tears as she dashed out of the store.

It was alright, she told herself as she walked away, down the street. That was only the first place. And anyway, it would have been BEYOND boring to work there.

She darted into her next potential job, a coffee-shop whose name she couldn't make out in the mass of squiggles that was it's logo.

"Hello," she said to the barista, "I'm here about the help wanted sign in the window?"

The barista barely looked at her, "Go down that hall, last door on the left. Ask for Em." she gestured vaguely towards a hall.

Dora walked down the hallway, to the door, and knocked.

A girl opened the door, and a slight cloud of smoke escaped.

"What?" rasped the girl.

"Uh-um, I'm, um, looking for Em? I'm here about the, um, job?"

The girl looked Dora up and down, just like Laurel had at the thrift store.

"I'm Em. Come in." the girl rasped, opening the door wider.

A gush of smoke billowed out the door, enveloping Dora in a haze of sickly-sweet smelling smoke.

"Uh-what are you doing in there?" asked Dora, trying not to cough.

The girl smiled, "Staff meeting."

Sure enough, Dora could see about eight people inside, all wearing the blue-and-white shirts of the coffee shop.

Dora let out a sharp cough, shook her head, and ran out of the store.

She stumbled onto the sidewalk, hacking up a lung. She got it now. The people in the store all looked strange, like they were only half-awake... because they were _high_.

She let out one last cough before stumbling down the sidewalk.

Dora arrived at her last employment possibility, a place she had only barely considered. _Haven Street Comics_. A comic book store.

Dora ripped off her blazer, shoved it in her bag, shivered, and entered.

The guy at the counter was cute in a nerdy way.

"Hello!" he greeted her with a smile. Looking around, she got the feeling they didn't get many girls in here.

"I'm Dora. I'm here about the job...?"

Alec was sulking. That much was clear to Isabelle. He had been sulking since last night, although she wasn't sure at what time he'd come home. She'd been out at this _fabulous_ party, really cool. She'd danced with a bunch of guys and even brought one home with her. His name was Tyr, and he was a werewolf. He had messy hair and he wore a leather jacket. He was rough and dangerous and drunk as hell. It was instant lust.

They'd come home late, like 2-ish, and maybe they were a _little_ loud, but Alec had slammed open his door, pulled out his blade and threatened to castrate Tyr if they made any more noise.

Jace walked by and flicked Alec in the back of the head. Big mistake. Alec may let Jace do most anything to him normally, but when he was mad... well let's just say that Izzy had a feeling Alec was going to repeat his castrating threat.

"Why are you so moody Alexander? PMS-ing?" Jace grinned, thinking he was so clever.

"Shut up." Alec said tersely, gripping the armrest of the couch roughly.

"Ooh, definitely PMS-ing... IZZY! GO GET ALEC SOME MIDOL!" he yelled, even though Isabelle was like three feet away.

"Shut UP, Jace. Go make out with your midget girlfriend or something." Alec growled.

"I'm right here!" said Clary, throwing up her hands. Indeed she was _right_ there, sitting beside Alec.

"So?" Alec asked.

"I am _not_ a midget." Clary said, outraged.

"More like a leprachaun." Alec said.

Isabelle jumped in then, fearing blood, "Did something happen with Magnus? Or with-" She broke off then, confusing Jace and Clary, and enraging Alec as she stopped before saying Dora's name.

"Or with who? And NO. YES. Shut up. Leave me ALONE!" Alec fumed, practically ripping the armrest off of the couch.

"Who's yelling?" Mayrse Lightwood bustled in. Since Max's death she'd struggled to be more motherly. She was home more often now, letting Robert be the one to go on most of the trips.

"It was nothing mom." Isabelle said.

"Alec is being moody." Jace tattled, pulling Clary off the couch and into his arms.

"Are you okay Alec?" asked Mayrse tentatively. She still wasn't sure exactly how to deal with a gay son.

"Fine." he grumbled.

"It might help to talk it out?" Mayrse suggested helpfully, rubbing Alec's shoulder in what I'm sure she thought was a soothing manner. It did not soothe.

"No." he sank lower into the cushions.

"Maybe-" Isabelle started, but Alec was yelling again.

"Just GO AWAY. Can't I just have ONE SECOND alone? YES I fought with Magnus. YES I fought with... and NO I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!" Alec stormed out of the room, Isabelle hot on his tail. She waited until they were in relative privacy.

"You fought with Magnus and Dora? Look, just go and apologize so that you can stop being such an ass."

"_I'm_ not the one that should be apologizing."

"I don't care. Go to Magnus' NOW. And if I call Magnus and he says you haven't been over I am _so_ telling Mom about that one time that I went into your bathroom and I thought you were alone and you and Magnus were-"

"OKAY!" Alec yelled, "I'm going!"

And so he did.

Magnus stood in front of his mirror, trying desperately to glitz himself up. But, for once, inspiration failed to strike him. He picked up a jar of glitter, but he didn't have the... the feeling. That feeling that this was him, that he _was_ the glitter, and the glitter was him.

But today... he dipped his finger in the jar of glitter and smoothed it over his eyelids. It seemed dull, tasteless. He wiped it off, but trace of it still lingered. There were dark circles under his eyes and his eyelids sparkled. What an oddity.

He sighed and reached for a towel. He stopped when he saw them.

Black. With bright pink stitching. It had been hell to get him and Alec to agree on something, but they'd compromised.

Alec was like the glitter. Even if he'd tried for years instead of mere minutes, Alec would always leave a trace. He lingered.

A knock on the door startled him out of his reverie. He threw the towel down and swiped at his face again, tugging his hair back so that he resembled some form of his former glory.

"Just a moment!" he called, waving his hands and quickly tidying his room. Not really cleaning, just making sure the tissues were in the trash cans and there was no clothing laying in plain view.

He opened up the door, and nearly shut it again when he saw Alec standing there.

"What do you want?" he asked, struggling to sound angry and forceful, but it came out like he was feeling. Tired and defeated.

"I... I wanted to talk. Is Dora here?"

Magnus shut the door then, or at least partially. "No. She's out. But I'm sure if you wait downstairs, you can get your fix."

And _then_ he shut the door. And locked it. And went away, to never think of Alec again.

Well, he did the first two. After doing that he sunk to his knees in front of the door, praying that Alec would leave, just leave... and stay, please stay.

"Magnus..." Alec's voice was barely a whisper, yet Magnus still heard it, "Please."

It took all of Magnus' strength, but he didn't move, didn't speak.

For nearly an hour they stayed like that-Magnus kneeling inches away from the door while Alec varied from frenzied begging to yelling to quietly pleading to...

Alec didn't speak for a few moments, and for one terrible moment Magnus thought he'd given up. But then he spoke.

"Magnus..." it sounded like he'd been crying, "...I need you."

Need.

Magnus felt it too, this staggering hole in his chest that ached and hurt and _pained_ him so badly that all he wanted to do was throw himself through the door and into Alec's arms.

He did almost exactly that.

He threw open the door and stood there, breathing heavily as he looked down at where Alec kneeled on the floor.

Alec opened his mouth to say something, but Magnus was touching him, skimming his fingers through Alec's hair and down his face, letting them linger at his chin as he drew him up.

"I'm-" Alec began, but Magnus kissed him, pushing him against the wall. Tears were still streaming down Alec's face, and they mingled with Magnus' as they held each other up, lips moving faster.

They stumbled back into the apartment, where they broke apart for only a moment so Magnus could rip off Alec and his shirt. Then they went into the bedroom where they would, maybe, talk. Or maybe later...

Dora ran up the stairs, grinning broadly. She'd gotten the job! They'd been desperate for _anyone_ to help, and the fact that she was a girl hadn't hurt.

Her boss was Danny, a thirty-something guy. He wore a tie and seemed completely at odds with the rest of the store. But he only came in once a month. Her 'supervisor' was Collin, who was nineteen and seemed to _define_ the term nerd... but he was cute. So were her coworkers-Kyle (twenty-two and a redhead) and Leo (twenty-four, married, and blonde).

But the best part was that she could start the next day! She was finally going to be independent. Well no, she would still live with Magnus, and she still relied on Alec... but it would finally be a symbiotic relationship.

She burst through the front door, smiling even bigger when she saw Magnus standing at the table, wearing black skinny jeans and a tight pink tank top, his face glittery, and around his waist were Alec's arms, who was trying to peer over Magnus' shoulder.

"I got a job!" she shrieked by way of greeting, but it worked.

"Really? I told you so!" Magnus pronounced gleefully, clapping his hands.

Alec squeezed Magnus and then dashed over to Dora, embracing her. It was partially because of their bond but... partially because Magnus had told him what she'd done.

"We have to celebrate!" Magnus declared, throwing up his hands.

"Celebrate what?" asked Dora yawning.

"Your job, DUH. And Alec and I-"

"Coming to your senses."Dora grinned.

"Exactly." Magnus smiled.

"Where are we celebrating?" asked Alec in a resigned voice.

"I know _exactly_ the place. It's called-"

_Orion_.

Orion was a Downworlder restaurant, a popular and chic one-a cross between a French restaurant and a trendy club. Also expensive. But to Magnus' protests, Dora had sworn that she was going to pay him back with interest.

They'd all gotten dressed up-Alec wore a plain black suit, Magnus wore a red suit with an orange shirt **(A/N: sounds bad, but I saw it and it looked good)**, and Dora wore a pale mint green sheath dress. She was uncomfortable wearing anything other than pants, but it fit her _perfectly_ and she turned more than her fair share of heads as they entered the restaurant.

Magnus directed her as to what to order-she was more than a little tempted by a glowing blue cocktail, but she was strictly against drinking anything that was near a warlock (other than Magnus).

They ate a little, talked a little, ate a little, talked a lot... Magnus was so clearly in his element that finally Dora insisted that he go and take Alec on the dance floor.

Dora lingered by the table, too nervous to go and do anything else.

"Hello." a smooth voice sounded in her ear. She turned and struggled not to gasp.

Standing beside her was the most _gorgeous_ man she'd ever seen. He was tall, with the palest skin, and a head of curly chestnut hair. There was something off about him-his eyes, they were an electric blue, no white, just blue...

"H-Hi." she said, taking a nervous step back.

"I'm Anthos." he said, smiling at her. The smile was vaguely terrifying, but entrancing, hypnotizing.

"I-Isadora." she said, somehow unable to give her anything but her full name.

"Isadora. A beautiful name for a beautiful woman." Anthos said, skimming his hand down her arm.

"I-I-" Dora stuttered.

Anthos pulled her away from the table, smiling sweetly at her.

She followed along, her eyes locked into his, as they walked past the other tables, past the dance floor, and almost to the door. All she could think of was Anthos, this strange man with eyes like the ocean and-

She stumbled as he pulled her a little more roughly, letting out a sharp cry as her foot turned inwards.

"DORA!" Alec was at her side in a moment, blade drawn.

She looked between Alec and Anthos, her head fuzzy.

"She is no concern of yours, Shadowhunter." Anthos said in his smooth, buttery voice.

"Get your hands _off_ her, Downworlder." Alec growled, holding up his blade.

"She wants to come with me, don't you, love?" Anthos smiled at her.

"I-I-"

"Dora?"

"I-"

"DORA!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Dora shrieked then, pulling roughly away from both of them.

Magnus came up behind her then, pulling her away. Alec held Anthos off, brandishing the blade and murmuring threatening words to him.

Once they were far enough away, Dora relaxed and turned to him.

"What the hell?" she asked, wiping at her forehead.

"Fey. They're beyond gorgeous, but lethal. They feel no love or like towards humans."

Dora shivered, and was happy when Alec joined them, even if he did seem angry.

"Dora. Why the hell did you go off with him? Do you know what he could've done to-"

"Alec." Magnus held Alec's hand, "How could she have known-that he was fey or that he could hurt her. You were _very_ adamant about not telling her anything."

Alec sighed, defeated, "Alright... sit down, Dora. I have five minutes to tell you what it took me eighteen years to learn."

They returned to their table where they sat and picked at their food.

"Alright. Fey-fairies-they'll look beautiful, but if you look really close, they're ugly. But _very_ hypnotizing. There's usually at least one thing off about them. That girl over there has leaves for hair, that guy has blue skin, and our friend from before-"

"Anthos."Dora interjected, blushing.

"Anthos." Alec gave her an odd look, "with Anthos it was his eyes. No whites in his eyes, remember? They're cold and... horrible. There's no love loss between them and... anything. They feel no remorse, no guilt... they're awful-"

"Alec!" Magnus seemed to be holding back a smile, "You make them sound like evil abominations! They don't feel guilt or remorse, true, but they're cunning, witty, and intelligent. They're useful in a fight, and they make great teachers."

"So, basically... unless I'm fighting or suddenly have an urge to learn, I should stay away from all fairies?" Dora glanced between Magnus and Alec. Magnus seemed at ease, almost relaxed. Alec looked like he was going to hunt Anthos down and eviscerate him.

"Exactly." Alec said, smiling, "And that is why I think I should go and get the fairy blood needed for the potion cure on my own."

Dora shook her head, "No."

At Alec's look of outrage, she continued, "I don't think I should come along, but I think that you should at least bring Magnus. Maybe Isabelle, too."

"But that would leave you alone."

"I don't have a hit out on me! I can handle being alone for a few hours. You could always send Simon over." Dora smiled at her memory of the geeky vampire. He was nice... and possibly the normal person she'd met in a while.

"Ugh, I'd feel safer leaving you in a random alleyway for a few hours than letting you be with _Simon_." Alec sneered.

"He's nice." Dora defended.

"Well _nice_ is fine, but I'd rather Magnus and Isabelle stayed with you."

"Oh for God's sake! ALEC. I will be fine. I spent the entire day wandering around New York City and guess what? I'M NOT DEAD. I will be absolutely fine sitting around and watching TV. Maybe sleeping. Hey, you can go while I'm at work!"

"Speaking of, where did you get a job?" Alec asked.

Dora rolled her eyes at the obvious subject change, "Haven Street Comics."

"Where is it?"

Dora and Magnus both rolled their eyes.

"I think you can figure it out." Dora said, smiling at Alec.

He thought for a long moment and then blushed brightly, "Haven Street?"

"Good! It's at the corner of Haven and 14th Street. There's only four other people, and the boss only comes in once a month. The other three are very nice guys."

"_Guys. _There's no girls?" Alec seemed suspicious again.

"No. But don't worry, okay? If it makes you feel better you can come with me tomorrow and intimidate them all." Dora smiled sweetly at Alec.

"Fine." Alec grumbled, momentarily satisfied.

They finished their food and paid the bill, and while Alec went to get the car and Magnus went to 'powder his nose', Dora was left alone.

Not for long.

"Hello Isadora."

Dora shivered, instantly recognizing the voice. Smooth and buttery. She turned to face Anthos, struggling to keep her wits about her.

"Hello Anthos." she greeted him cordially.

"Off with your Shadowhunter?" he asked, smiling broadly and revealing a row of straight, pointed teeth.

She wasn't sure what a Shadowhunter was, but she figured he meant Alec, "Yes."

"Sure you don't want to come back to my place and... party?" his eyes seemed to dilate then, the irises getting so large that they nearly covered his entire eye.

"I-I'm sure." she said, her voice humiliatingly trembling.

"Well..." Anthos reached to stroke her cheek, his cold skin chilling her deeply, "If you change your mind..."

He handed her a slim, metallic card, and walked away.

"Do-ra!" Magnus called, and she turned to see him beckoning her towards the car.

She tucked the card in her clutch, took a few sustaining breaths, and hurried towards them.

It wasn't until after they'd gotten home, said their goodnights, and she was in her pajamas, curled up in bed and nearing sleep that she remembered the card.

She slipped out of bed, shivering when her feet hit the cold floor, and darted across the room.

She shivered again when she reached the clutch-she'd requested that Magnus make it a little colder (she hated being _too_ comfortable, she'd realized) and while she was fine under the blankets, her tank top and thin flannel bottoms didn't hold much warmth in the now dark and cold room.

She dug around for a moment, then overturned it on her vanity desk.

There it was-silver when she held it this way, gold when she held it that way. But Dora couldn't quite make out the words. She moved closer to the window, unwilling to turn on any lights in case that should somehow alert Alec or Magnus.

_Anthos_

_Seelie Court_

_All you will ever need._

_555-2200_

Dora had no idea what or where the Seelie Court was. But there was something about those words... All you will ever need...

It made her shiver. She wasn't sure why, but it did. That and the memory of him as he had been before she left.

His eyes so big and looming, but something was hidden in them... darkness and a hint of something colder.

Dora shoved open the window and tossed the card outside, silently saying a prayer that it would be too waterlogged to be read by anyone. Then she shut the window tightly, locking it, and went back to bed.

But even in her dreams, it was like a roulette wheel spinning around... Alec, Anthos, Alec, Magnus, Anthos, Isabelle, Alec, Anthos, Alec, Anthos, Alec...

**Okay SO I'm writing as fast as I can, but I have homework and also I'm lazy :) PLUS I got a new book! It's called Remember Me (includes: Remember Me, The Return, and The Last Story) by Christopher Pike. AND I'm gonna be going to Borders someday in the next week, so that'll be a distracting few days.**

**Reviews are cookies and ice cream! Please review!**


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